


The Tides of Time

by ChatoyantPenumbra



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! Bonds Beyond Time, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga), Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bittersweet, Crow and Jack bicker in canon-typical fashion, Domestic Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, New Year's Kiss, New Years, Post-Bonds Beyond Time, Post-Canon, Post-Dark Side Of Dimensions, Time Travel, also briefly touches on mutual puzzleshipping, briefly touches on some one-sided kingcrabshipping, time fuckery in general
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:07:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17263919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChatoyantPenumbra/pseuds/ChatoyantPenumbra
Summary: Atem spends New Years together with Team 5D's for the first time in their era, and bittersweet insecurities rise to the surface.





	The Tides of Time

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year!!! Here have this tooth-rotting fluff

A loud yawn leaves Crow, as he stretches his arms out over the sides of the couch he’s been napping on to catch what little extra rest he can. Yusei stands over him, his glove on his best friend’s shoulder lifting from its position after jostling it just enough to draw the man back from the compelling hands of sleep. The gloves on his hands aren’t the usual leather ones; instead they’re made of wool, both warm and soft to the touch, and when Crow glances up at him he sees that he’s already bundled up and ready to go. Similarly dressed to face the wintry cold outside, Jack peers at him from over Yusei’s shoulder, but Crow’s too tired to shoot him a glare back.

 

“I’m awake, I’m awake…” he mumbles at last, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He feels groggy, uncoordinated, maybe like he woke up in another dimension, but he knows the feeling will pass soon enough, especially if Jack’s keen on continuing to impatiently glare at him like that.

 

“Aki, Ruka, and Rua will be here in just a couple minutes,” Yusei begins, speaking to Crow, not bothering to zip up his jacket just yet as he puts away the last few bowls from dinner that have finished drying. Bruno enters from the garage, washing his hands clear of the grease that collects after a couple hours of working on their D-Wheels, and he looks just as ready to leave as the rest of them. A pair of dark hands offer Yusei a scarf, to which he politely, more quietly declines, “It’s alright, you keep it. You get colder than I do.”

 

As he stands, Crow glances at the shortest of them, nearly unrecognizable with the way his blend of dark wine locks is pulled back in neat french braid. His blond bangs are the only thing that give him away, that and his amethyst-ruby eyes that are somehow ever perfectly eyelined. The redhead would almost go so far as to say that he looks _beautiful,_ but it’s not his place, and he imagines Yusei might actually die of mortification.

 

Hogan cracks something of a smile at the sight. It’s hard to believe that here, in a dark beanie with a pom-pom top and a down jacket within a longer trench coat that he’s _pretty sure is a women’s size_ —not that there’s anything remotely wrong about that; it’s what fits him—is the famed King of Games. He’d blend right in with any crowd tonight, Crow knows.

 

Yusei catches just a glimpse of that contemplative, mischievous glance, but he’s way too slow to do a damn thing about it before the Blackfeather Duelist opens his mouth to comment.

 

“You look awfully domestic, Atem,” he jests, “I guess you’re finally settled here, huh?”

 

Both Yusei and Atem’s cheeks dust two shades darker in crimson, glancing at each other as if for help, or perhaps to share the acknowledgement of embarrassment.

 

“I’m still very thankful to be able to stay here, thanks to you.”

 

They know Atem isn’t talking about just one person, rather all four of them, and even Jack can’t help but be touched by those words by the way he glances Atem’s way with something of a considerate nod, though it helps that the one saying them is one of the few people he can respect as an equal, or perhaps, so far as someone that could be a mentor to him. He may not be such a fan of how close he and Yusei have gotten, but he’s wise enough now to know that Yusei chooses his path for himself, so he puts it out of his mind.

 

“I’d say it’s a fair exchange for how you helped Yusei save our time from Paradox,” Jack comments, thoughtfully. “Besides, you helped mold our world into what it is.”

 

“Not to mention how we get to have the King of Games living with us, even if we have to pretend like you’re just a lame copycat with everyone else.” It’s another jest from Crow, perhaps insulting to some, but Atem can’t help but laugh. The two grin at each other like old friends.

 

“Just pretend you don’t know me, if it’ll help you save face.”

 

“ _Nahhh_ ,” and Crow drags the sound to exaggerate the joke, “we couldn’t do that to ya, and I’m sure Yusei here would have a bone to pick with me if I started giving you the cold shoulder. Plus, the jackals love you, and I don’t have the heart to tell them you’re _not_ who you look like.”

 

Bruno looks confused as he dries his hands—after all, Yusei hadn’t wanted to overload him with details when he was already dealing with enough on his own with his amnesia—so he mumbles, “You mean who he is?”

 

“Same difference.”

 

Atem and Crow laugh, and it’s a sound that fills the space with warmth. Yusei can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of his lips, seeing his friends—his _brothers_ —content, his lover happy.

 

If a group of orphans like they can ever experience the thing called a _family home,_ this must surely be it.

 

Aki and the twins at last arrive, and they’re off, mounting their D-Wheels and Duel Boards. Naturally, Atem doubles on the back of the Yusei-Go with its maker, pulling the helmet made specifically for him over his beanie, and his arms wrap around Yusei’s waist and he leans against his warm back like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

 

Perhaps by now, it is.

 

When they arrive at Senso-ji Temple, it’s absolutely packed. There are very few places to park, but gladly, their D-Wheels are easy to squeeze between existing spots. Wading into the temple with the sea of people around them is another challenge, especially with the size of their group, but they manage, splitting into a single file line. The smell of cooking food wafts from the stalls ahead, and over the sound of the bustling crowd, they can hear Rua’s excited, “ _Oh man_ , I can’t **_wait_ ** to eat all this food!!” Crow grabs him by his hood before he has a chance to dash off, and Ruka scolds him much like a mother would. They’re only kids.

 

Yusei’s hit again with the reality that as chaotic and stressful as this may be, he would have nothing else. His tanzanite eyes sweep over them, and Crow cracks a grin, Aki winks at him, and they both knowingly gesture for him to go, that they’ve got it. Bruno’s off in his own world, already scanning the food stalls and contemplating their lines. The twins practically latch onto him as they gaze to the main attraction of the temple.

 

“Guess we’re not going to be able to ring the bell this year, huh?”

 

“Probably not, Rua.”

 

Jack’s had the most trouble accepting Yusei’s blooming relationship, but when at last their gazes intersect, even the former Fortune Cup champion nods his way, his mouth twitching in a smile. Yusei can nearly hear his voice say what his eyes do: _“Go; have some fun already.”_

 

It’s the collective permission Yusei needs to nod back and tighten his grip on his counterpart, flashing his phone in a gesture of _call me if you need me,_ and finally leading off towards the lines for amazake. His family is safe, happy, and that’s all Yusei has ever wanted.

 

His hand never leaves Atem’s. He tries to pretend it’s because he doesn’t want Atem to get lost.

 

It’s the King of Games’ first time. From what he’d told Yusei when the Riding Duelist had brought it up, he had been to the New Year’s celebrations in Domino when he still inhabited the Millennium Puzzle, but this is the first time he gets to enjoy it in his own body; walking with his own two feet; feeling the crisp air against his own skin; tasting the food and drink with his own mouth. When they finally get up to the front of the line and the temple volunteers hand them their own portions of amazake in thick, paper cups, Atem takes a drink slowly, and his violet eyes fly open in pleasant surprise. He swears he’s tasted it before, but nothing like this. Sitting backseat as a soul in another’s body has a way of muting all of those sensations, and the fact that he didn’t realize how much he hadn’t been fully experiencing until now makes the Pharaoh wonder what else he’s been missing out on.

 

“It’s good!”

 

There’s something about being able to share these first moments with him that makes Fudo’s heart throb oh-so-sweetly against his ribs. Finally experiencing a normal, human life, in his own human body, without them being robbed from him by a war far out of his control… it’s what Atem deserves.

 

Yusei smiles a smile he hasn’t since the first time they kiss, almost half a year ago.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Their boots crunch noisily against frost and frozen earth underfoot, the group of six hiking up the mountain trail. It’s pitch black, and the flashlights in Yusei and Jack’s hands shine over the path ahead of them before temporarily scanning back to make sure everyone is making it up okay. Ruka and Rua are home, just a bit too young to make the trip up with how late—or rather, how _insanely early_ —it is right now, chiefly with how they passed out on the couch the moment Yusei and Atem brought them back to their uptown Neo Domino apartment before heading back home themselves to nap for a few hours.

 

Aki glances at her phone, squinting at the overwhelming brightness as she fumbles to turn it back down. It’s 5:13 am. They’re more than halfway up the side of the mountain, well on track to see the whole thing.  

 

Crow stumbles over something, which he soon finds to be a rock, and snaps at Jack for walking so far ahead.

 

“Would you mind staying a little closer to the group, _Jack?_ ”

 

“Maybe you’re just walking too slow with your short legs.”

 

Aki rolls her eyes as Crow fumes. That is, until Jack loses his balance turning back forward and nearly falls flat on his face when his foot sinks through a soft patch of ground. Crow’s boisterous laughter can be heard all the way down at the base of the mountain as the former champion snarls insults at him.

 

To Atem, it reminds him of the way Jounouchi and Honda used to bicker. Something bittersweet touches his eyes, changing his posture, and even in the dark, Yusei can sense it. He contemplates reaching for Atem’s hand to touch his gloved fingers, just a small gesture to remind him _I’m here._ He double-guesses himself, deciding against it, but they glance at each other in that moment.

 

And like always, they understand each other.

 

A thoughtful smile graces Atem’s full lips, and Yusei smiles back in the same way.

 

They finally reach the top of the mountain, and the eastern sky is just beginning to turn a deep navy color, signalling the earliest phase of sunrise. Their bags drop to the frozen ground, and Yusei and Aki help lay out the giant water-resistant blanket. There’s space enough for them all to sit comfortably on it and some, and were it not for the heating packs sticking to the inside of their clothing, they’d be freezing their asses off.

 

A thermos full of hot tea gets passed around and poured into cups, and they sit leaned against their bags, waiting for sunrise. Yusei and Atem’s hands brush during the exchange, lingering longer than they have to, but the others don’t notice with how dark it still is.

 

When the cups are put back away, their gloved fingers twitch together. The sky blooms with deep colors of amethyst, tanzanite, and then, bright amber and rosé, like watercolor being blended together with a brush. They pretend that warmth is the only reason they’re leaning against one another as they are now.

 

The sun at last breaks over the horizon, and they can hear Crow’s content, _“There it is…”_ and Bruno notes the way the mountains around them are made all the more vivid with the color.

 

They blend back into casual conversation after this, just appreciating the moment for what it is.

 

Yusei glances over as the light hits their faces in dramatic rays around the clouds in the distance, though he finds himself at a loss for words when he finds Atem’s eyes brimming with tears, concern staining his features before the Pharaoh has a chance to reassure him.

 

Quietly, Yusei speaks, and his warm breath tickles Atem’s cheek the same way it does in the nights when Yusei returns to bed hours past midnight and settles in with his arms wrapped lovingly around his counterpart. “What’s wrong?”

 

Atem’s glowing in the rich light, his dark skin never looking fuller and more vibrant than now, and Yusei’s hand secures more firmly over his. When he blinks to look over, his tears fall, streaming with a fleeting pace down his cheeks and dripping somewhere into Yusei’s scarf wrapped around his neck.

 

“I never thought I’d see another sunrise in the living world like this. It’s been three thousand years…”  He chuckles, glancing down as he wipes the dampness from his face, but his water-resistant gloves do little more than smear it. “It’s different when you’re in a body that’s not yours. Things just don’t look the same; I’d forgotten what it was like.”

 

Yusei’s seen this sunrise more than a thousand times after sleepless nights, but he had never considered how important it could have been. Never valued the true worth of it. He nearly regrets taking it for granted this whole time.

 

Atem chuckles then, and it’s sorrowful, but deep, rich, beautiful. Yusei’s breath is nearly knocked out of him by the sound.

 

“If I’m being honest with myself, it’s not just that—I miss Yugi and our friends, too. Things used to be a lot like this.”

 

Yusei’s hand squeezes his smaller one consolingly. Then, he asks a question that paints his visage with apparent regret. “Do you wish you would’ve stayed there instead?”

 

Atem’s eyes meet the rising sun, and it brings out every strand of brilliant ruby in his charoite irises. Yusei remembers how easily he fell in love with it.

 

“As nice as that would have been, my place is no longer at Yugi’s side. I’ve done my part for their era. Yugi has to learn to be, without me. He’s capable of so much more on his own.”

 

Yusei is pensive, saying nothing as he studies every inch of his lover’s face. Atem can’t help but love the way he looks, so focused, so attentive. He’s always given more to others than he can help, and it’s both a blessing and a curse.

 

Remorse taints his tanzanite hues, until Atem speaks again, resolute and certain.

 

“I belong with you. It doesn’t matter what era, what universe. We met in Yugi’s era, in a strand of time that’s been made null by the efforts of the four of us when we defeated Paradox. It could be here, the Netherworld, or any place else the tides of time decide to lead us. But in the end, I think Destiny brought me to you for a reason. I can’t imagine being anywhere else but by your side. I wouldn’t give up eternity for just anyone… and you accepted me.”

 

It’s Atem’s turn as his hand squeezes tightly around Yusei’s.

 

“I made my choice, Yusei… _you._ ”

 

Fudo’s hand at last takes purchase on the curve of his neck, ever-so-gently stroking the sensitive flesh behind his ear as he leads the Pharaoh close. Their lips meet; their friends pretend they don’t notice.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!!
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought!


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